Isaac Asimov - The Robots of Dawn

“Exactly. Exactly. The man who intends to destroy Dr. Han Fastolfe as a political force upon this planet—but that, as I hope to persuade you, does not really make me a villain. After all, I am not trying to prove that it is Fastolfe who is a villain simply because of the foolish vandalism he committed on the structure of his own creation—poor Jander. Let us say only that I will demonstrate that Fastolfe is—mistaken.”

He gestured lightly and the robot who had guided them in stepped forward and into a niche.

As the door closed, Amadiro gestured Baley jovially to a well-upholstered armchair and, with admirable economy, indicated, with his other arm, wall niches for Daneel and Giskard as well.

Baley noticed that Amadiro stared with a moment’s hunger at Daneel and that, for that moment, his smile disappeared and a look that was almost predatory appeared on his face. It was gone quickly and he was smiling again. Baley was left to wonder if, perhaps, that momentary change of expression was an invention of his own imagination.

Amadiro said, “Since it looks as though we’re in for some mildly nasty weather, let’s do without the ineffective daylight we are now dubiously blessed with.”

Somehow (Baley did not follow exactly what it was that Amadiro did on the control-panel of his desk) the windows opacified and the walls glowed with gentle daylight.

Amadiro’s smile seemed to broaden. “We do not really have much to talk about, you and I, Mr. Baley. I took the precaution of speaking to Mr. Gremionis while you were coming here. From what he said, I decided to call Dr. Vasilia as well. Apparently, Mr. Baley, you have more or less accused both of complicity in the destruction of Jander and, if I can understand the language, you have also accused me.”

“I merely asked questions, Dr. Amadiro, as I intend to do now.”

“No doubt, but you are an Earthman, so you are not aware of the enormity of your actions and I am really sorry that you must nonetheless suffer the consequences of them.—You know perhaps that Gremionis sent me a memo concerning your slander of him.”

“He told me he had, but he misinterpreted my action. It was not slander.”

Amadiro pursed his lips as though considering the statement. “I dare say you are right from your standpoint, Mr. Baley, but you don’t understand the Auroran definition of the word. I was forced to send Gremionis’ memo on to the Chairman and, as a result, it is very likely that you’ll be ordered off the planet, by tomorrow morning. I regret this, of course, but I fear that your investigation is about to come to an end.”

Baley was taken aback. He did not know what to make of Amadiro and he had not expected this confusion within himself. Gremionis’ had described him as “standoffish.” From what Cicis had said, he expected Amadiro to be autocratic. In person, however, Amadiro seemed jovial, outgoing, even friendly. Yet if his words were to be trusted, Amadiro was calmly moving to end the investigation. He was doing it pitilessly—and with what seemed to be commiserating smile.

What was he?

Automatically, Baley glanced toward the niches where Giskard and Daneel were standing, the primitive Giskard of course without expression, the advanced Daneel calm and quiet. That Daneel had ever met Amadiro in his short existence was, on the face of it, unlikely. Giskard, on the other hand, in his how many decades of life might very well have met him.

Baley’s lips tightened as he thought he might have asked Giskard in advance what Amadiro might be like. He might, in that case, be now better able to judge how much of this roboticist’s present persona was real and how much was cleverly calculated.

Why on Earth—or off it, Baley wondered, didn’t he use these robotic resources of his more intelligently? Or why didn’t Giskard volunteer information—but no, that was unfair. Giskard clearly lacked the capacity for independent activity of that sort. He would yield information on request, Baley thought, but would produce none on his own initiative.

Amadiro followed the brief flicking of Baley’s eyes and said, “I’m one against three, I think. As you see, I have none of my robots here in my office—although any number are on instant call, I admit—while you have two of Fastolfe’s robots: the old reliable Giskard and that marvel of design, Daneel.”

“You know them both, I see,” said Baley.

“By reputation only. I actually see them—I, a roboticist, was about to say ‘in the flesh’—I actually see them physically for the first time now, although I saw Daneel portrayed by an actor in that hyperwave show.”

“Everyone in all the worlds has apparently seen that hyperwave show,” said Baley glumly. “It makes my life—as a real and limited individual—difficult.”

“Not with me,” said Amadiro, his smile broadening. “I assure you I did not take your fictional representation with any seriousness whatever. I assumed you were limited in real life. And so you are—or you would not have indulged so freely in unwarranted accusations on Aurora.”

“Dr. Amadiro,” said Baley, “I assure you I was making no formal accusations. I was merely pursuing an investigation and considering possibilities.”

“Don’t misunderstand me,” said Amadiro with sudden earnestness. “I don’t blame you. I am sure that you were behaving perfectly by Earth standards. It is just that you are up against Auroran standards now. We treasure reputation with unbelievable intensity.”

“If that were so, Dr. Amadiro, then haven’t you and other Globalists been slandering Dr. Fastolfe with suspicion, to a far greater extent than any small thing I have done?”

“Quite true,” agreed Amadiro, “but I am an eminent Auroran and have a certain influence, while you are an Earthman and have no influence whatever. That is most unfair, I admit, and I deplore it, but that is the way the worlds are. What can we do? Besides, the accusation against Fastolfe can be maintained—and will be maintained—and slander isn’t slander when it is the truth. Your mistake was to make accusations that simply can’t be maintained, I’m sure you must admit that neither Mr. Gremionis nor Dr. Vasilia Aliena—nor both together—could possibly have disabled poor Jander.”

“I did not formally accuse either.”

“Perhaps not, but you can’t hide behind the word formally, on Aurora. It’s too bad Fastolfe didn’t warn you of this when he brought you in to take up this investigation, this—as it now is, I’m afraid—ill-fated investigation.”

Baley felt the corner of his mouth twitch as he thought that Fastolfe might indeed have warned him.

He said, “Am I to get a hearing in the matter or is it all settled?”

“Of course you will get a hearing before being condemned. We are not barbarians here on Aurora. The Chairman will consider the memo I have sent him, together with my own suggestions in the matter. He will probably consult Fastolfe as the other party intimately concerned and then arrange to meet with all three of us, perhaps tomorrow. Some decision might be reached then—or later—and it would be ratified by the full Legislature. All due process of law will be followed, I assure you.”

“The letter of the law will be followed, no doubt, but what if the Chairman has already made up his mind, what if nothing I say will be accepted, and what if I the Legislature simply rubber-stamps a foregone decision? Is that possible?”

Amadiro did not exactly smile at that, but he seemed subtly amused. “You are a realist, Mr. Baley. I am pleased with that. People who dream of justice are so apt to be disappointed and they are usually such wonderful people, that one hates to see that happen.”